Bittersweet Catastrophe (Second Chances #2.5) Page 13

“Mmm, God, yes. This is so good.”

  “Keep that up and we’ll never get to dessert.” I snuck a bite for myself.

  “There’s dessert, too?”

  “I told you, babe…” I pulled out the graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars, and watched as her eyes lit up. “I remember everything about that night.”

  “Oh, you are too good to me.” She rubbed her belly happily. “And to them.”

  And here, I always thought it was the other way around.

  We finished our dinner, literally licking our plates clean, and I started up the bonfire to roast some marshmallows. Liberty had this dreamy look in her eyes as she leaned against my shoulder and looked up at me.

  “What are you thinking about?” I asked as I put together a s’more for her and brought it up to her lips. She took a big bite, letting the gooey concoction smear across her mouth, and her eyes fluttered closed as though she’d just tasted a little piece of heaven. Fuck, I wanted a taste for myself. I reached forward and brought my thumb to her lips, wiping up the excess marshmallow before placing it in my mouth and sucking the remnants off. So damn sweet, just like her.

  She smiled, as though she were remembering this exact same moment, just as it happened over two years earlier, but it never reached her eyes. It was obvious something was bothering her. She cradled my face in both hands, her big brown eyes locking on mine, and whispered, “Tell me you want me.”

  “What?” Was that a serious request?

  She got up on her knees and inched toward me, brushing her lips over mine. “Please, Shayne. I need to hear you say it.” Her voice came out softer than a purr. “I need to know that you still want me.”

  Completely caught off guard by her sudden plea, I grabbed her wrists and pulled away from her. “Where the hell is this coming from?” My eyes flickered back and forth between hers in search of an answer, but there was an unfamiliar void in the woman staring back at me. “What would ever give you the idea that I don’t want you anymore? I love you. You’re my wife and the mother of my children. There’s no one else for me. Period.”

  She hung her head, releasing her hands from my face. “You barely touch me anymore. You still treat me like I’m made of fucking glass.”

  “Now, you know that’s not true…”

  “It is! We haven’t been intimate in months. I’m not going to break, Shayne. I might be a bit more run down than usual, but I’m not dead yet. So stop treating me like I’m already gone.”

  I calmly ran my hands down my face, composing myself before I spoke. “I don’t ever, EVER, want to hear you talk like that again. Do you understand me?”

  “Shayne…”

  “No, I’m not finished. You need to hear this.” I laid her down on the blanket with my body hovering over her, caging her between my arms. “I. Love. You.” Lifting her hand, I placed it over my heart and held it there, beating rampantly between the two of us. “Do you feel that? That’s for you. It’s only ever been for you.”

  She stared up at me on the verge of tears, and I cupped her cheek, bringing my lips down to hers. “Then why won’t you touch me? I need you, Shayne. God, I need you so bad it hurts.”

  Hearing her say those words and seeing her spread beneath me was all it took to break my resolve. I felt like such an ass for holding out on her, when really I’d been dying to be inside of her for months. “I need you too, baby. More than you’ll ever know. I never meant to make you feel unwanted. That is the last thing I would ever want you to feel. I just…I don’t want to hurt you or the babies. The three of you mean everything to me. If anything happened to you because we…”

  “Nothing is going to happen to me. It’s perfectly safe for us to have sex. It won’t hurt me or the babies.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked hesitantly.

  “Yes.” She smiled up at me. “Haven’t you even heard the saying that pregnant women have an increased sex drive?” She pointed down at herself, as if there were flashing arrows aiming directly at her sweet spot. “Um hello, uber pregnant woman here, dying to have her husband’s dick inside of her.”

  I smiled against her lips and ran my hand up her thigh. “That’s what you really want?”

  “God, yes. Please.”

  I gradually pushed the hem of her dress up, only to find that she wasn’t wearing any panties. Sweet Jesus, she was already wet and ready for me, and her pussy was flushed, literally dripping with desire. My gaze languidly trailed up the length of her body, and when our eyes met, she bit back a grin. “No panties?”

  She shook her head, biting her lip a little harder. “You told me they just get in the way.”

  “Good girl.” I leaned down, drawing her bottom lip between my teeth. “Leave the biting to me.”

  Sitting back on my haunches, I carefully sat her up and lifted the dress up over her head. She was completely bare now, her nipples pebbling as the cool night air hit her delicate skin. I laid her back down on the blanket and bent forward, taking one of her diamond-hard peaks in my mouth and laved at it hungrily. She arched into me as I licked, sucked, and nipped at the sensitive flesh, and I watched her eyes roll into the back of her head, drowning in the pleasure I was giving her.

  I raked my hands up her inner thighs, teasing her until she was squirming beneath me and begging to have me inside of her. “Shayne, please. Make love to me. Make me yours.”

  “Shhh, soon, sweetheart. Let me worship the rest of your body first.” I skimmed my fingers across her sex, already dripping wet and ready for me. “Beautiful, ” I breathed against her skin, and her entire body came to life, shuddering as I flickered her swollen bundle of nerves. “Fucking love that, babe, the way your body reacts to me so readily. I swear, there’s nothing better in the world than watching you come apart beneath me.”

  “Shayne…” she moaned breathlessly, but before she could get another word out, my lips were silencing her. I traced my tongue along the seam of her lips, coaxing her to let me delve inside and taste her sweetness. Her lips were so soft and full, molding perfectly with mine, and as our tongues met one another stroke for stroke, I found myself quickly being swallowed up by the irresistible desire pouring from her kiss. Each flick of her tongue, as she explored my mouth, had my dick growing painfully harder, and I couldn’t wait to bury myself in her sweet pussy.

  Her eyes glazed over, swirling heavily with lust, and suddenly this overwhelming feeling of desperation washed over me. I made quick work, tearing my shirt off and ridding myself of my shorts and boxer briefs, and the look she seared into me forced a husky growl to burst through my chest.

  “Fuck me, Shayne.” The seduction in her voice as my name rolled off of her tongue had my cock stirring restlessly against her belly.

  I hooked my arms under her legs and slid them over my thighs, allowing me to enter her at a better angle. Sliding the head of my cock through her folds, I rubbed the tip against her swollen clit, and her back arched higher, pushing her breasts closer to my mouth. I sucked one nipple between my lips while kneading and caressing her tender breast, and the moment I thrust into her, I raked my teeth across the tight bud, and she cried out blissfully.

  “God, you’re so tight. Squeeze my cock, baby.”

  Her inner muscles tightened around me, causing my eyes to roll into the back of my head, and it was like a meteor shower had shot across my eyelids. It felt so fucking good to be inside of her again, and I never wanted to leave.

  Seconds later, I was forced on to my back, covered in sand, and Liberty was riding my cock with abandon. Her pouty lips had formed a beautiful “O”, and I knew she was getting close. Fuck, I was right there with her. I ran my hands over her belly and across the gorgeous curves of her hips, holding her steady as I picked up the pace.

  “Shayne, I’m… oh fuck, I’m gonna come.” She breathed out, and I thrust into her, harder and faster, until she was shouting my name to the stars scattered above us. I couldn’t hold back any longer, burying myself deeper than I thought possible, and I came so
fucking hard I thought I was going to black out from the sheer intensity of my orgasm.

  Liberty fell limp against my chest, and I wrapped my arms around her, stroking her back as we both caught our breath. She always looked so beautiful when she came around me, and this time was no different. In fact, watching her above me, riding my cock and pregnant with my babies inside of her…fuck…there were no words to describe just how fucking gorgeous my wife was.

  “I love you,” I whispered, kissing her just below her ear, but her slow, measured breaths let me know that she had already fallen fast asleep.

  I wrapped another blanket around us, and we stayed there until the sun came up over the ocean. Had it not been for the neighbors coming out for their morning walks, I would have gladly remained wrapped up in our little human burrito, but I knew Liberty would’ve been red in the face if we’d gotten caught. Me on the other hand, I had no shame showing the world just how much this woman meant to me, even if it meant giving them a free show.

  Work had been overwhelming, now that the tourist season had reached it’s peak, and we had so many people chartering private fishing excursions that I often didn’t get home until after eight at night. I felt bad leaving Liberty home alone all day, since she was no longer working, but luckily, Maddie and Brett would pop in from time to time to check on her and keep her from getting cabin fever.

  Tonight was the first time in weeks that we had pulled into the marina early, so I decided to call ahead and make dinner reservations at one of our favorite Italian restaurants that overlooked the harbor. The doctors wanted Liberty to take it easy for the next two weeks leading up to her C-section, and I figured we were too exhausted to cook anything worth eating anyway. Plus, Liberty had been craving their wild mushroom ravioli and continued to remind me on a daily basis, so really, it was a win-win for both of us. Who knew when we’d get another chance to have a night out on the town anyway?

  I pulled into the driveway a little past six and quietly entered the house, hoping not to wake Liberty. She was usually napping around this time anyway and hadn’t been sleeping well the last few nights, so I wanted her to rest as much as possible. Kicking off my shoes, I silently shuffled down the hallway to our room, but when I peeked inside, she wasn’t in bed where I expected her to be.

  “Hey, babe, you home?” I called out, but there was no response.

  I went from room to room, coming up empty every time. Where the hell could she have gone? Dammit, she’d probably gone out with Maddie, even though she knew she wasn’t supposed to be on her feet for too long. I sent them both a text, playfully scolding her, but Maddie was the first to answer.

  Me: Where’s my beautiful bride? I made dinner reservations for 2 ;)

  Maddie: Trying to wine and dine me, eh?

  Me: Is she with you?

  Maddie: Care to elaborate, lover boy?

  Me: Quit throwing me through hoops, Maddie, and tell me where she is?

  Maddie: Where do you think she is? I just left your house no more than an hour ago. Honestly, do I need to put a microchip in her so you know where she is at all times?

  Me: She’s not with you? Do you know if she went out with Brett or Robbie?

  Maddie: No, they’re both with me. Why? What’s going on?

  Shit, where the fuck is she?

  Me: She’s not here, and I’m worried she went out on her own. Text me if you hear back from her.

  Maddie: I’m sure she’s fine. I’ll let ya know if I hear anything.

  I slammed my phone down on the counter and hung my head, wondering where she would have gone. It wasn’t like her to just up and leave without telling anyone, and she knew how much it made me worry, especially now. As I racked my brain, trying think of places she might’ve gone, I heard Liberty’s favorite song, “Forever and Always” by Parachute, begin to play. At night, she would place headphones over her belly and play it on repeat, telling me it was her way of letting the babies know that, no matter what, she loved them…forever and always.

  That’s when it hit me. That was Liberty’s ringtone.

  I gripped the counter, a sense of dread creeping through my veins, and when I lifted my head and gazed out the window, that’s when I found her. She was lying in the sand in an unnatural position, her hair blown across her face and a hand covering her stomach.

  My heart plummeted.

  No.

  God, please no. Don’t let her be gone. Not yet.

  I slid the back door open so hard that glass shattered everywhere, then ran as fast as my feet would carry me. Falling to my knees in the sand beside her, I didn’t know what to do. I swept her hair out of her face and crushed my mouth against hers, praying that she was still here with me. I felt faint breath slip past her lips, but it was shallow and labored. Thank God, she isn’t gone yet. I grabbed the phone laying next to her, still playing the same damn song, and saw that it was Maddie trying to call her. Pressing ignore, I quickly dialed 911.

  “911, what’s your emergency?”

  “My…my wife is pregnant, and I just found her unconscious on the beach,” I choked out, my fingers shaking uncontrollably as I tried to hold the phone to my ear.

  “Sir, can you please tell me if she’s breathing?”

  “Yes, she’s fucking breathing! Just send an ambulance and tell them to get their asses over here!” I dropped the phone in the sand as the woman on the other end of the line continued to call out to me.

  “Baby, I’m here. I’m right here. Open your eyes for me.” I held her in my lap and, with trembling lips, crushed my mouth to hers again. “Please, baby, I need to see them. Let me see those beautiful eyes.”

  Minutes later, I heard the ambulance pull up, and medics flew to her side.

  “Sir, I’m going to need you to step aside so we can assist your wife.” They carefully took her from my arms and lay her across the gurney. “Do you know how long she’s been unconscious?”

  I shook my head, keeping my eyes locked on Liberty, but unable to produce any words.

  “How far along is she?”

  “Seven…seven months,” I choked out.

  “And does she have any other previous conditions?”

  I squeezed my eyes shut, fists balled up at my sides. She shouldn’t have waited. Goddammit, she shouldn’t have waited! “She has breast cancer,” I said, and when I opened my eyes, I found both medics staring back at me with grave expressions on their faces.

  They loaded her into the back of the ambulance, and I climbed in next to her, holding her hand the entire way there. Minutes felt like hours as we made our way to the hospital, and when we finally pulled up to the emergency room, they quickly wheeled her off down the hall, breaking my hold on her. As I stood there, feeling the distance steadily grow between us, I couldn’t shake this feeling that I needed to prepare myself to say goodbye. But how do you say goodbye to the one person who defined the greatest part of you? I wasn’t ready for that…I’d never be fucking ready for that.

  I sent Maddie a text to let her know where we were and asked her to let Liberty’s parents know as well. I couldn’t bring myself to call them. I was already on the verge of falling apart and knew the second I heard her mother’s voice on the other end of the line, I’d fucking lose it.

  Sinking down into the nearest chair, I hunched forward with my elbows on my knees and dropped my face in my hands. A few minutes passed by before I felt a small hand on my shoulder and soft voice utter, “Shayne.”

  I looked up, and Maddie was standing there with tears brimming her eyes, and I found myself gravitating toward her open arms. A violent sob tore through my chest, causing my knees to buckle unsteadily, but somehow, this tiny woman managed to keep me from falling. I was thankful she’d shown up when she did, and she held me tighter, allowing me to release all of the pent up emotions that threatened to split me clean open. I didn’t give two shits if it made me look like any less of a man with the way I was carrying on. That was my fucking wife in there, fighting for her life!

&
nbsp; “Oh, Shayne, I’m so s-sorry.” She rubbed soothing circles across my back and held me there until I was ready to let go.

  “Have you heard anything from doctors yet?” Hunter came up beside her, and she leaned into his side.

  I ran my hands down my face, attempting to rein in my emotions. “No, I haven’t heard anything. They took her back as soon as we got here, and for all I know…” My fist flew up to my mouth, trying to keep it together. For all I knew, she was gone.

  “Mr. Thompson?” A doctor dressed in blue scrubs approached us, and I felt my heart sink with every painstaking step he took.

  “Is she okay?”

  “Your wife’s stable right now, but I’m going to need you to come back with me. The rest of you will have to wait here.”

  I nodded, following him through the corridor, where two nurses were waiting for me with scrubs and a surgical mask. “What are these for?”

  “I have good news and bad news.” I quickly slipped the scrubs on, and he led me over to a sink to wash my hands as he carried on. “Your wife’s blood pressure is very high and putting the babies at risk. It looks like we’re going to have to bump up her C-section a few weeks earlier than planned.” The corners of his mouth slowly curled up, and I wondered what he possibly had to be happy about. “The good news is that your wife is awake, and it looks like somebody’s going to become a father today.”

  My heart stopped momentarily, and the room started to spin around me. I had to grip the edge of the sink to keep from falling flat on my ass. Did he just say what I thought he said? “I…uh…come again?”

  The doctor chuckled under his breath and led me back to the operating room where Liberty was. She turned her head to the side, and my beautiful girl smiled so wide, it brought a whole new wave of tears to my eyes.

  She was okay. Everything was going to be okay.

  “Shayne,” she spoke softly.

  “Hey, sweetheart.” I brought her hand up to my lips, refusing to ever let her go. “You gave me quite a scare back there.”

  “I’m so sorry.”